The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus for an engine switch of a vehicle, such as an automobile.
Automobiles are demanded to have improved operational performance as well as improved basic performance and safety. A smart ignition system has been proposed to improve the operational performance. The smart ignition system permits an owner of a vehicle to start or stop an engine only by entering a passenger compartment of the vehicle while holding an electronic key, and manipulating a button switch for the engine located on the vehicle without using a mechanical key.
In the above mentioned smart ignition system, when stopping the engine at night, the button switch for the engine is generally manipulated after turning off a vehicular lighting device, such as a headlight. However, the passenger compartment is dark at night even if the vehicular lighting device is not turned off. Therefore, the position of the button switch for the engine is hard to find. When the vehicular lighting device, such as the headlight, is turned off, instrument lights for lighting up gauges located in the passenger compartment are turned off accordingly. In this state, the passenger compartment becomes even darker and the position of the button switch for the engine is more difficult to find.